Reduce Your Meat Consumption

Action of the Month for January

Basic Action
Choose to eat no meat on at least one day each week.

With drought conditions here in Montana, water conservation is so important. Did you know that It requires 2500 gallons of water and 5 pounds of grain to make one pound of beef? (Source: footnote #1)
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Beef is one of the most water-intensive foods. Shifting away from animal products to a plant-based diet can shrink your water footprint significantly. (Source: https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/45-ways-to-conserve-water-in-the-home-and-yard/)
 
If residents of the thirty-six countries who are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which includes North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel, practiced just one meatless day each week, the world would gain 120 million tons of grain which could be used to feed the hungry this year.” (Source footnote #2) Think of the difference weekly Meatless Mondays (or any other day of the week) could make to feed the hungry.

DID YOU KNOW...

Michael Pollan, well-known author, journalist, and Professor of Science and Environmental Journalism, observed that the average nine ounces of meat eaten per day per American is a significant part of the carbon footprint. While there is a place for meat eating, he says, it’s tinier than what we consume now. He recommends cutting down on meat, even if you do not eliminate it entirely. His opinion is that this change in diet is more important than anything else that you do to tackle climate change—and that we do need more vegetarians than we currently have. (Source footnote #3)

Advanced Action for those already eating meatless one or more days per week

If you already eat meatless one day or more a week and eat eggs and dairy, on one of your weekly meatless days  eat a plant-based diet without eggs or dairy.

Find out more…
tips-about-eating-meatless.pdf Click here
Find out more about meat alternatives, plant-based proteins, and recipes on this tips page.

1  Rogers, Elizabeth, & Kostigen, Thomas, M. (2007). The Green Book, New York: Three Rivers Press. p. 69.
2  Jahren, Hope (2020). The Story of More. Publisher p.50.
3 Ebersole, Rene, (2014). Food Fight. Audubon Magazine, November-December, 2014, p. 61.